Not everyone has the patience and resolve to be a customer service rep. But if helping customers solve issues is your calling, you’ll need to demonstrate your passion and skill by acing the answers to common customer service interview questions.

Hiring managers often ask a variety of interview questions for customer service reps to learn more about you and determine if you’re a good fit. Need some help getting ready for your interview? Prepare yourself ahead of time by studying the customer service interview questions and answers outlined below.

Customer Service Interview Questions and Answers

1. Tell me about your previous work experience in customer service.
2. What do you like about working in customer service?
3. What makes you a great candidate for this customer service job?
4. What do you know about this company’s products and services?
5. Tell me about a time when you solved a difficult issue for a customer.
6. What type of customer service systems have you used? How familiar are you with them?
7. What are your strengths and weaknesses when interacting with customers?
8. What have you done recently to improve your customer service skills?

Question #1: Tell Me About Your Previous Work Experience in Customer Service.

When you want to be hired as a customer service representative, interview questions about your professional background are a given. Whether you have one year of experience or are a seasoned customer service rep, hiring managers will dig into your work experience to see whether you’ll be a good fit—and this goes beyond what’s mentioned on your customer service resume.

Reflect on these details when devising an answer:

• Where you previously worked.
• Your key responsibilities at past jobs.
• Training you received and other learning curves.

How You Could Answer

“My customer service experience goes back to my first job working as a cashier at a local grocery store. Every day, I greeted customers, answered their questions, and helped them solve problems. I have since worked at the customer service desk in a retail store where I handled returns and exchanges and helped customers find items in the store. Most recently, I worked as a call center customer service rep for a financial institution, where I helped customers solve problems with their bank accounts and credit cards.”

Question #2: What Do You Like About Working in Customer Service?

The last thing employers want is to hire a customer service rep who doesn’t like their job. Hiring managers often ask customer service interview questions that evaluate candidate’s passion for the job and reasons for applying.

Ask yourself the following questions when creating your answer:

• Do I enjoy working with people?
• Do I get gratification from helping others?
• What are my goals as a customer service rep?

How You Could Answer

“I’ve always been a people person. I can’t imagine having a job where I don’t interact with or help others. When it comes to working in customer service, I get gratification from simply greeting customers, engaging in small talk with them, and helping them solve problems. I feel like simply being kind and listening makes my day, and theirs, better.”

Question #3: What Makes You a Great Candidate for This Customer Service Job?

No list of customer service interview questions would be complete without the classic: “Why should we hire you?” When answering, you’ll have the opportunity to highlight the qualities that make you the best candidate for the job.

Focus on these details when creating your answer:

• Your key strengths.
• What supervisors and co-workers have said about you.
• Skills and qualities you can bring to the job.

How You Could Answer

“The most important quality that makes me a viable candidate for this job as a customer service rep is my selflessness. Others who have worked with me have always complimented me on my ability to brighten someone’s day, even when things don’t seem to be going well. I’m also great at staying organized, communicating with customers, and solving problems.”

Question #4: What Do You Know About This Company’s Products and Services?

Interviewers want to weed out candidates who apply for multiple jobs without doing any research and make sure that your goals and values align with theirs. Luckily, researching the company before your interview will help you to answer this question.

Then, share the following details with your interviewer:

• Pre-existing knowledge you have of the company (if any).
• What you know about the company culture.
• What you know about the company’s industry, products, services, and mission.

How You Could Answer

“I was aware of your company’s brand before coming across the job ad. But after doing some research, I’ve gained more insight into your home appliances and installation services. When I was growing up, we had one of your microwaves, but I’m very impressed with all the new features your microwaves have now, which allow customers to use more precise settings to heat their food to their preference. Plus, I have learned that your mission goes beyond the customer experience. Your company has a loyal and growing customer base, which you treat like family rather than just consumers.”

Question #5: Tell Me About a Time When You Solved a Difficult Issue for a Customer.

You can’t always avoid difficult situations when working in customer service, but there are plenty of ways to solve them. Employers want to see that you’re able to keep your composure and take the right course of action during a challenging situation.

When answering customer service interview questions about problem-solving, ask yourself the following:

• What events led to the situation?
• How did the customer react?
• What did you do to solve the problem?

How You Could Answer

“At my last job, I had a frantic customer call about an unauthorized debit card transaction. It turned out that the customer’s checking account was hacked due to a hardware-based keylogger placed on an ATM. I recorded the details of the transaction and calmly assured the customer that we would investigate the incident and refund the lost money. I also submitted a report of the incident to upper-level management. Later that day, our financial institution received calls from other customers regarding the same issue.”

Question #6: Which Customer Service Systems Are You Proficient in or Familiar With?

Being a customer service rep requires some technical and organizational skills, as well as the ability to follow specific protocols. Employers want to determine which department is the best fit or where you need training.

Discuss the following details when answering interview questions about customer service systems:

• Training you received.
• Systems you’re most proficient in.
• Systems you’re familiar with but haven’t used.

How You Could Answer

“At my last job, I was trained to use Zendesk. The program comes with several features, but the ones I primarily used on the job were customer data collection and live chat support tools. Other than that, I’m very experienced in using spreadsheets and payment processing tools. I am familiar with other customer service programs such as Salesforce and Helpshift, but I have limited experience with these programs.”

Question #7: What Are Your Strengths and Weaknesses When Interacting With Customers?

Every customer service rep has strengths they bring to the job and areas where they need improvement. Answering customer service interview questions about strengths and weaknesses isn’t always easy. To create the best impression, focus on your strengths as much as possible throughout an interview while being honest about your weaknesses.

When creating your answer, ask yourself these questions:

• How patient am I with customers?
• Am I a good listener?
• Am I helpful to customers?

How You Could Answer

“My biggest strength as a customer service rep is my ability to go above and beyond to help customers. I always remain calm and listen to customer concerns. Sometimes, I feel compelled to help too much without the guidance or approval of upper-level management. However, I have learned to use good judgment and ask for assistance from a supervisor when necessary.”

Question #8: What Have You Done Recently to Improve Your Customer Service Skills?

Companies want customer service reps who can adapt to changing circumstances, learn new skills, and make improvements where needed. If you’re serious about being a customer service rep, you are probably constantly looking for ways to refine your skills.

When asked customer service interview questions about training and development, include the following:

• Professional development training.
• Learning curves on the job.
• Personal development.

How You Could Answer

“I have participated in professional development to help improve my customer service skills and further my career. For example, I recently attended a three-day customer experience workshop. The training involved lectures and exercises for improving conflict resolution, product or service knowledge, and interpersonal communication. The workshop enhanced the skills I developed at my last job. On my own time, I have read articles and watched videos on how to improve the customer experience both digitally and over the phone.”

9 More Customer Service Representative Interview Questions

1. Why would you be a good fit for our company as a customer service rep?
2. What have you done to be a better customer service representative?
3. What have you done at your present/last company to increase revenue, reduce costs, or save time?
4. Talk about a time when you were unable to help a customer. What was the issue and how did you handle the situation?
5. Do you consider yourself a team player?
6. What type of organizational structure have you worked within previously?
7. What type of organizational structure suits you best?
8. What type of schedule are you looking to work?
9. Would you be available to work additional shifts?

Looking for More Opportunities in Customer Service?

Got a job interview coming up? We hope that you can use these sample customer service interview questions and your top-notch interpersonal skills to impress hiring managers. In the meantime, upload your resume to Jobpress ng to search for your next customer service job. We’ll keep you updated with free job notifications and make it easy for recruiters to reach out to you.